I decided to start work on my Ph.D. during the summer. I did feel some guilt about leaving Dad with all the work on the farm. He and Mom both must have sensed that I was torn between getting out of town and staying around to help on the farm. “Tyler forget this fucking farm,” Dad said as he gave Mom this ‘yeah I said the F’ word look. “I loved growing up on this farm, but as you know it isn’t large enough for any kind of profit. I wanted it to be yours some day, but I realize the farm life isn’t for you, and you’d starve to death trying to make a decent living here.”
“Your Father is right, you know,” Mom added. “Besides, the town will always be full of assholes like Paul Baumann around.” Assholes? I couldn’t remember my Mom using a word much worse than ‘darn’. She must have seen the smile on my face when she added, “Well he is.”
I once again loaded my Jeep with the basic necessities and started the long six hour drive to Laramie. Well okay, I admit more like five hours the way I drive. Mom and Dad would be bringing my furniture when I found an apartment. I thought about driving through Chadron to see Matt, but then I realized that he wouldn’t be there until fall.
As I drove, I thought of my future and what I wanted out of life. I knew that I did want to find someone to love. I didn’t want the life of some gay men that I’d read about. I don’t mean to imply that gay men don’t have long lasting meaningful relationship. I sort of figure that they are just like heterosexual couples, some good and some bad relationships. As much as I loved my parents I knew that I couldn’t go back home to live. That town was just no longer my home. I guess one could say that I was homeless. Well not really, but it kind of felt that way.
I wondered what Laramie would be like to live there. Out of the blue I remembered that Laramie was where Matthew Sheppard was killed just for being gay. What in the fuck was I getting myself into? I knew that I wasn’t going to deny that I was gay. I decided that a after the incident with Jason and the football team. If a high school kid could stand up for what he was, then so could I.
I found an apartment that was nice, clean and within my price range. Since it was vacant I decided to just camp out there until my parents could bring my furniture. It would only be until the weekend and it would save me the cost of a motel room.
Needless to say I was happy to see my parents arrive with my furniture. Dad and I unloaded the furniture while Mom arranged the things in the kitchen. She then insisted that we go shopping to stock up on groceries. Mom bought enough groceries to last for at least a month. Mom soon had the place looking all home like. Of course I could add the masculine touch after she went back home. I had my first meal in the apartment with my parents. I virtually had to take the keys away from my dad to keep them from driving back home that night. The couch was very comfortable after sleeping for almost a week on the floor in a sleeping bag.
After having breakfast with my parents I had to push Mom out of the kitchen to keep her from washing the dishes. “Mom, the apartment does have a dishwasher,” I said. “If you take time to clean up in here Dad will kill both of us.” Mom then tried to slip me a one hundred dollar bill. “I can’t take that, Mom. I have some money.”
“I wish you would take this, and then I’d feel better,” Mom pleaded. “Well, I hear your Dad racing the engine to the truck. I guess I’ll use your bathroom and then go.”
I hugged Mom goodbye and then I suddenly felt lonely as I saw them drive out of the apartment parking lot. I decided to take a shower and then explore the campus. There was the one hundred dollar bill that Mom had tried to give me on the counter. ‘That woman has to have her way,’ I smiled. I showered and then went to my bedroom to get dress, and on the nightstand was another $100, ‘Dad.’
I was assigned my faculty advisor, Dr. Patterson, who just happened to be from the next town over from my hometown. We seemed to hit it off right way. He was the type that could be picked out of a crowd as a “professor.” He wore those half glasses down on his nose and sort of peeked over them. He asked if I would be interested in becoming a graduate assistant. I would get a stipend and gain some valuable experience. Of course I agreed anything to earn a few extra bucks. Dr. Patterson also explained that I could finish my degree in less than three years by going summers and taking a full course load. I could possibly do it in two if I started my dissertation early. He even gave me ideas on that. Well it wasn’t like I’d have a social life or anything.
I soon developed a pattern of life. It involved classes, study, doing laundry, cleaning the apartment, and jacking off. Yeah, my right hand was my sex partner. There were a few guys that I thought were giving me the eye, but this was Laramie and I wasn’t about to make the first move. Allen, one of the undergraduates in one of my labs that I taught seemed to be flirting with me. I wasn’t about to start an affair with one of my students.
I did make it through the semester without Allen raping me. He was kind of cute too. Evidently he gave up on me because I saw him after another cute guy from the lab. I just wanted to get my Ph.D. and get the hell out of town. I still had my hand to keep me company.
I was in the apartment laundry room doing my laundry when this really hot guy came in. “Are you using this machine,” he asked with what appeared to be ‘want to fuck me’ smile. You bet I did. He was about five feet nine, weighted about 160 and from what I could tell had a really great body. Oh well, most likely he is straight.
I was putting away the last of my towels when I heard a knock on the door. “I think you left a pair of your jeans in the laundry room,” he said. It was the hot guy from the laundry room.
I took the jeans and held them up to my waist. They came down to about mid-calf on me. “Nope, not mine,” I said. “They appear to be more your size than mine. But, thanks for checking.” It was obvious that he wanted an invite in. “Hey, I was just about to fix some coffee, would you care to join me,” I lied, well about the coffee anyway. “I’m Tyler.”
“Coffee sounds good to me, I’m Cody.”
“Cream or sugar,” I asked as I handed Cody a cup of coffee.
“Please,” he said.
Cody loaded his coffee with cream and sugar. I take mine black. “You don’t really like coffee, do you,” I asked as he added more cream and sugar.
“Not really,” he admitted with a cute grin.
“Well why didn’t you say so,” I asked? “Would you rather have a beer, coke or something else?”
“I’d love a beer,” he said.
I came back with two beers, one for him and one for me. “I decided a beer sounded better to me than coffee also.” Cody and I had several more beers and then I asked, “Would you care to stay for supper? I was thinking of grilling some steaks.”
“Hey I have some homemade apple pie that my mother left, and I could run down to my apartment and get it,” Cody offered.
“Sure, pie sounds good,” I said as I tossed the jeans to Cody. “You might as well take your jeans as you go.”
“Oh, okay,” Cody said with a guilty grin that said, ‘I’ve been caught.’
I decided to have coffee with Cody’s mom’s apple pie. Cody of course declined the offer of coffee, but he did accept a glass of milk. The pie was delicious and Cody looked so cute drinking his milk with his pie.
“Are you gay,” Cody asked as he handed me his plate to put in the dishwasher?
“Do I look gay,” I asked?
“No, you look very straight, but I though you might be when you caught me checking out your package and you only smiled,” Cody laughed.
“What, do I look like the UPS guy,” I joked?
“Well you do look good and that looks like a nice package you’re carrying there,” Cody teased.
“You have a great looking loading dock,” I chuckled,
Cody put his arms around me and then looked up as inviting me to kiss him. I pulled him up to me and put my lips to his. I could feel his mouth open and invite my tongue to visit his. “You must think I’m a slut”, Cody said as he pulled his lips from mine.
“I guess that would be two of us the, because I was kissing you too,” I said. “Do you think we should get to know each other before we go any further?”
“You’re right,” he said. “But, fuck man, you’re hot.” I pulled him to me and kissed him again.
“You’re hot yourself,” I said. I’ll give it a week and then we’ll be fucking like rabbits, ten days tops.
Cody and I had dinner with each other every night. The next Saturday I returned from my morning jog. I showered and was just finishing when Cody knocked on the door. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my waist. “Fuck, you’re even hotter than I thought,” Cody said. I pulled him to my lips and kissed him. Cody pulled the towel that I had wrapped around my waist and let it fall to the floor. He then stepped back and admired my semi-hard cock. “That’s a gorgeous cock,” he said as he took my cock into his hand. Bong, it was hard now.
I took Cody’s hand and led him to the bed. I began to undress him and admire what I saw as each item of clothing dropped to the floor. He had a cute body, not muscular, but definitely cute. I took the lube and a condom from the nightstand and soon was more than ready to enter him. He moaned as the head of my cock entered his ass. “Are you okay,” I asked?
“Yeah, just go slow,” Cody said. “It’s been a while and you’re big.”
I pushed my cock in a little at a time. Soon I could feel Cody pushing his ass into my cock. My cock then popped all the way in I began to fuck him slowly at first and then with more force and tempo. Cody came first. He shot cum all over himself and my chest. Oh well another shower and this time with Cody would be nice.
Cody and I decided to share the expense of two apartments and he moved in with me. He was an excellent sex partner, but to say we were in love would be stretching it. Yeah, he was hot, a nice guy and great in bed. But, we both knew it wasn’t love. I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever fall in love. Meanwhile, the sex was great and Cody was good company.
Time at the University of Wyoming passed faster than I expected. I think it was mostly because I was really pushing myself to finish my Ph.D. on “my” schedule. Cody would be going back home to manage his family’s huge ranch and put his agriculture degree to good use. I was exploring job opportunities in education. My goal was to teach chemistry at the college level.
My dissertation was being reviewed by Dr. Patterson, my faculty advisor. I felt confident that it would be approved by the graduate college and I would officially receive my degree. I had interviews scheduled at a community college in Liberal, Kansas and then two weeks later one in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“How did your interview go,” Cody asked as he kissed me before I could put my bag down. I had just returned from my interview in Liberal. I felt confident that the position was mine if I wanted it.
“It went well,” I answered as I took my lips from his.
“Will you take the job,” he wanted to know?
“I’ll have to explore my options, but fuck it’s isolated down there,” I replied. “I think I’m tired of the rural small towns. The town itself isn’t that bad though. I’m just not sure how it would be living there as a gay man. Where ever I go, I’m not going to be closeted.”
“Fuck I admire that,” Cody said with a sigh. “I wish it could be that way for me.”
“Cody, it can be for you too,” I said. “But, only you can make that decision.”
“Tyler, I’m not strong like you are,” Cody said with sadness. “My family isn’t like your mom and dad either.”
“Coming out is a decision only you can make, and I won’t try to talk you into it,” I said.
My interview in Tulsa seemed to go even better than the one in Kansas. Tulsa was larger than I expected. It appeared to be as large or maybe even larger than Omaha. Of course I only saw what was between the airport and the college. I learned that Tulsa Community College had almost double the enrolment of the University Wyoming.
After the search committee interview Dr. Pulaski, chair of the search committee, showed me my way out. I think he just wanted to chat with me privately. “Dr. Lucas, I have a good feeling about your interview. The other candidate is about a year away from completing his Ph.D. However, he has more teaching experience than you.” Dr. Pulaski said. “I’m sure the committee will wonder why you only taught a year before pursuing your Ph.D.” Fuck, he called me Dr. Lucas. That sounded strange to me, but it also sounded good.
“Dr. Pulaski, please call me Tyler, and I have to be honest with you,” I said. “I’m gay and was an assistant football coach. When one of the players outed another player, the head coach said he wouldn’t have a fag on his team. I resigned right then.”
“Tyler, do you mind if I share that with the committee if it comes up,” Dr. Pulaski asked? “I know these people on the committee and that’s something they would admire. And, I want you to call me Tom.”
“Tom, I’m not ashamed of something I have no control over,” I said. “I don’t advertise that I’m gay, nor do I deny it.”
I had a three hour layover in Denver on my way back from Tulsa to Laramie, and I had plenty of thinking time. By the time I arrived in Laramie I had already decided that I’d take the position in Tulsa if it were offered.
“Tyler, telephone,” Cody said as I was getting out of the shower a week later.
“This is Tyler,” I said as I stood nude answering the phone.
“Tyler, this is Tom Pulaski,” the friendly voice on the phone said. “I’m prepared to offer you the position if you want it.”
“Hell yes, I want it,” I said with excitement. “Oh, I guess that isn’t the proper way to respond to your offer,” I quickly added.”
Tom laughed and said, “Tyler, I and the committee liked your enthusiasm and honesty. That’s why you are being offered the job. I’ll be mailing you a contract that you’ll need to sign and mail it back. We look forward to your joining our faculty.”
I was so happy that I grabbed Cody and planted a big kiss on his lips and was bouncing around like a four year old kid. I completely forgot that I was nude when our next door Mormon neighbor walked by and saw inside. “I wish I’d had a camera to get a picture of that look on his face,” Cody laughed.
“Probably the same look you had the first time you saw me nude,” I teased.
“You still have that effect on me when I see that big cock of yours bouncing around like that,” Cody snickered as he put my hand on his hard cock. I began undressing him right there, nosy Mormon or not.
I lubed my cock and Cody’s ass as he was begging me to fuck him. I gladly obliged his request. Cody was moaning so loud that I’m sure the Mormon in the next apartment could hear us.
Following graduation I sold my furniture and loaded my remaining possessions in my Jeep and headed back to Nebraska. I decided it was a new beginning and I would just buy new furniture in Tulsa. I planned on spending some time with my parents before going to Tulsa to find an apartment. I kissed Cody goodbye and we headed in our opposite direction and likely to never see each other again.
It was nice hanging out with Dad. We seemed to have become closer as I grew older than when I was a kid. Mom of course was Mom. She was the perfect mom as far as I was concerned.
I decided to drive rather than fly to Tulsa when I went to look for a place to live. Mom offered her Tahoe for me to drive, but I just felt more comfortable with my Jeep. I was in no hurry and Dad had suggested that I stop in Wichita to see my Uncle Pete. Pete was my Dad’s brother and was somewhat of a loner. He was my favorite uncle. I remember how he used to come by to read me stories when I was sick. He had moved to Wichita right after he graduated from high school. He rarely came back to Nebraska to visit.
Uncle Pete gave me directions to his house when I called him to say I wanted to stop for a visit, but I googled it anyway. He seemed happy that I was going to stop for a visit. I arrived at Pete’s house a little past five. He lived in a nice neighborhood, and his yard was the best kept one in the neighborhood.
“I’m sorry, but I must have the wrong address,” I said when the gentleman who answered the door wasn’t Pete.
He gave a friendly laugh and said, “You must be Tyler. Pete isn’t home from work yet, but he made me promise I’d be here when you arrived. I’m Norman, but most people call me Norm. Could I get you something to drink?”
“Thanks but I’m fine,” I said. “Wow, I wasn’t aware that Pete was gay too.”
“Gay too,” Norm asked with a puzzled look on his face?
“Oh, I’m sorry I just thought maybe you were his partner, and I’m gay too,” I explained with some embarrassment.
“I don’t think Pete knows that you’re gay, and yes we’re partners. This is something I wanted Pete to tell you, but now you’ve outed us,” Norm laughed.
I really liked Norm and he made me feel comfortable we chatted for about thirty minutes before Pete arrived home from work. Pete grabbed me into a big hug and then said, “I see that you’ve met Norm. Norm lives here.” Pete obviously was nervous about explaining Norm to me.
“Pete for Christ sake, Tyler is a smart guy and had already figured it out,” Norm laughed.
“Why would I care,” I said. “I’m gay too, but it wouldn’t matter to me anyway.”
“You’re gay, too,” Pete asked?
“Yeah, I’m your queer nephew,” I laughed.
Pete, Norm and I chatted until well past midnight before going to bed. I could see that Pete and Norm loved each other and I decided that I wanted what they had. Gay sex is definitely different than gay love. Those two obviously loved each other.
As I left my Uncle Pete’s house I had a euphoric feeling. I had mostly stopped to visit Pete because Dad had suggested it, but I was happy that I did. There was a slight breeze blowing from the south that seemed to be welcoming me to my new life in Oklahoma.
As I came closer to Tulsa I noticed that there were more hills and trees. I hadn’t noticed this when I flew in for my interview. I had no idea what area of Tulsa I should begin my apartment search so I just starting driving. I ended up on Riverside Drive. There were apartments and houses on one side of the drive and there was a very nice park on the river side. The park stretched from just south of the downtown area for several blocks to an Indian casino. There was a bike/jogging path also. I looked at several different apartments before deciding on the best one for my money.
“We have two that will be vacant,” Mrs. Harris, the apartment managers said. “I have a one bedroom apartment and then a two bedroom one that overlooks the park. The two bedroom apartment is $250 more per month.”
I loved the two bedroom one, but I just couldn’t see myself paying that much extra. I knew I would eventually have to replace my trusty old Jeep and would then have payments. I signed a lease on the one bedroom apartment and Mrs. Harris said that the current tenants would be out in two weeks and they would need another week to get it repainted. I then went for lunch and then furniture shopping. I made arrangement for delivery of the furniture on my move in date.
I really wanted to just stay in Tulsa, but headed my Jeep back to Wichita. I had promised that I would stop by and spend a couple of days with Pete and Norm.